Custom Skully for PVC art show

The folks over at Delicious Drips are having an online art show/contest with custom DIY Skully vinyl toys. I submitted a new piece, which is a glow in the dark Skully with some spider imagery. I also submitted an older design I did, which was featured in the promotional video. As of now my pieces are on page 2, please vote for me since I have some pretty low ratings right now.

"Fuck your popularity contest, I'd rather see a murder contest" -Left For Dead

Birthday Blog 2010

This year I turn the big 3-0. I was dreading turning 30 for the longest time, and a few month ago I finally accepted it. So back in like 2004, I got the idea to get an XXX tattoo for my 30th birthday. For those not in the know, XXX is roman numerals for 30. A man of my word, 6 years later and here it is! I think the best component to this story is that the tattoo was a gift from my awesome girlfriend, who is also straight edge. I am also getting another tattoo (as a present to myself), which is a Wolfpack themed design.

I've been pretty busy w/ my art lately. My website is still down, due to my own laziness, but I've been doing a lot of art shows and design work. Over the past year or so, I've done numerous art shows with the Autumn Society, with many more to come this year. I'm most excited to be doing a show at Gallery 1988 in California later this year. I was also fortunate enough to have custom painted toys in the Yoka show, It Came From Skullbrain II, SDCC, and a few more. I also collaborated with Sandtastic Toys on a few limited hand-casted toys, where I designed the header cards. There's some plans for other toys this year, but more on that when the time comes. As a graphic designer, you don't get to do much art that doesn't have to be approved by a client. It's nice to break away from the computer sometimes...
Work-wise, I've been fortunate enough to be working for a new company called WeVeel, which is a new arts and crafts company. I get to work from home, which at first was kinda weird, but I've grown to really like it. The job is a lot more creative than my last job, which is great. I get to work in packaging, which I always enjoyed, and it doesn't look like work will be slowing down any time soon. I also got to go to Toy Fair in NYC this year w/ the company. As pathetic as it sounds, it had always been a childhood dream to go to that one day. It was what I expected- a gigantic corporate event with toys. I had fun, and was being paid to be there.
Last year when I was unemployed, I was looking into other options career-wise, and came up w/ Cake Decorator. I enrolled in the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Middlesex County College. I took Baking Fundamentals last semester, and am taking Cake Decorating currently. I already learned a lot, but I'm not sure if I will continue to pursue the certificate. I do enjoy the classes, and am always up for learning new skills.

I'm still playing bass in Wormeaters, and we will be releasing our third EP on Sorry State Records next month. This will be the first record w/ PJ on vocals, and I may be so bold to say it's our best yet. The plates are at the plant now, but I still need to work on cover art. It's getting there, don't worry. We still don't play often, but hopefully we can get some weekend tours in once the new record drops. Last year I started up a new band called Bloodtype, where I sing and write all of the music. It's pretty much the closest thing I'll come to a solo project (haha). We recorded a demo over the summer and played 2 shows, then took a hiatus for other band members' bands tours. We started practicing again, and have new songs that we'll be recording some time soon for 7" and split 7" w/ FL's Injustice System. Hopefully both records will be out in the summer, and we can also do some weekend tours. I've also been playing w/ some people in a new band, but more on that another time... It will be loud and fast, I haven't gone soft in my old age.

So here it is, I'm 30. I have a stable job that I like, an awesome girlfriend, my art is getting some recognition, I have money saved for new tattoos and to finally move out of my parents' house, learning how to bake, playing in good hardcore punk bands, etc...

The Ice King Cometh

Here is my tribute to the new TV show Adventure Time, which premieres on Cartoon Network in April. This was done with one stencil by layering various colored sprays over each other.

Skuttle custom for It Came From Skullbrain II show

This is my custom Skuttle toy, which I did for Super 7's It Came From Skullbrain II art show. The show consists of artists customizing Japanese vinyl toys. Genereally Japanese toys are painted with an airbrush in small busts of color to highlight the sculpt. I chose a clear Skuttle by Tuoma, and painted the inside then added the details outside w/ spraypaint. By painting the inside, the color is a bit more subtle, and still shows some clear when viewed on an angle. I named my piece "Slices" after the record by the band of the same name w/ a turtle on the cover.

Jan 16th 2010 from 6pm - 10ish.
Super7 retail outlet
1628 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94115
http://www.super7store.com
http://www.skullbrain.org

*flyer coming soon?*

Custom Yoka for D-con

Here's my finished YOKA custom for Designer Con. He needs a name, any ideas? The coloring pattern was based on my gf's Boston Terrier. The Yoka platform toy is great because it looks good standing, but even better sitting. I am extremely humbled to be a part of this show, from what i hear there will be 300 artists involved. Thanks to DKE Toys and Dylan Evans for giving me this opportunity.

*UPDATE: his name is "Mopey"*

Trick Art Treat show pieces

This is a piece I did for the Trick Art Treat art show. I find dogs in Halloween costumes hilarious, so I montaged a photo of a dog in a devil costume with a photo of my girlfriend's Boston terrier, Lelo. As with all of my other pieces, it was drawn out in Illustrator, then cut into stencils and spraypainted on a canvas. The piece is entitled "Devil Dog (aka: S.T.D.)," as I've affectionately nicknamed her "Shitty the Dog."
I cut out a stencil of Boris Karloff as Frankenstein for the b/w flyer for the show, so I figured I would make it into a simple stencil piece for the show as well. The piece is entitled "Frankie Says Relax."

Misfits Tubby, Couch Slouch Qee & Kaiju Gwin

I've been working on a bunch of toys lately, and haven't had a chance to post them, here's what I've been working on for the past month or so,,,
This was originally a vinyl toy of Tubby from the Little Lulu comic. I got a few of these and decided to paint it up in a style of Bounty Hunter, hence the logo on the back. It was mainly influenced by the Misfits fashion sense.
This started out as a blank Pigee Qee, and I turned it into a lazy balding dudes who I call "Couch Slouch" (after the DRI song). He's so depressed he just sits around the house watching TV in his underwear and flippy floppies. Poor guy... I painted it pink first, then gave it some light sprays of ivory to lighten him up in spots.
This was a Gwin that I made as an experiment to try painting the inside of a clear toy. I left him blank, but decided I should finish him off w/ some simple details. I was influenced by the minimalistic kaiju style paint jobs from Japan.
This Gwin was mine for the Custom Gwin Trade on the October Toys forum. The concept was that the Gorilla had a banana peel on his head, which made use of the penguin shape's flaps. My trade partner got this Gwin along w/ a custom painted Zombie and header card. I had gotten the Zombie free in an order and was just playing around w/ paint markers one night. The arms are from a Dunny and are drilled in so they still move. My trade partner was very happy with it and I eagerly await his custom to come in the mail.

Dia De Los Muertos

This is my piece for the Autumn Society's Dia De Los Muertos show entitled Esqueleto Con un Monopatín, which translates to "Skeleton with a Skateboard". It was done on an oval shaped 9"x12" canvas with stencils and spray paint. The character was heavily influenced by Posada's prints.

"Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead), is typically a Mexican celebrated holiday, in which families bring offerings (such as food and mementos) to remember and celebrate their loved ones that have passed away. The holiday is celebrated between October 31st through November 2nd.
The show will consist of 40+ pieces of art from the Autumn Society's finest artists, each interpreting "Dia de los Muertos" in their own unique way.
So come and celebrate on First Friday, October 2nd, and don't miss out on some fantastic original artwork, music, and sugar skulls!"
Proximity Gallery
2434 East Dauphin Street
Philadelphia, PA

BLObPUS custom contest

Here are some pictures of my Blobpus custom for the contest via Lulubell Toys. I poured red acrylic craft paint on the inside, then did some sprays in black and silver w/ spray paint, then added the details w/ paint markers. This was my first kaiju style paint job, and I'm pretty happy w/ it.




For reference purposes, here's what it looked like originally, you can see the vinyl was clear.

8-Bit and Beyond show pieces

Megaman & the Robot Masters
MOONWALKER RIP
Metroidz
The Autumn Society's tribute to video games "8 Bit & Beyond" opens on Friday (8/7) @ Brave New Worlds Comics in Philly, PA. This is going to be a great show, and I encourage anyone in the area to check it out! All of my pieces were drawn in Illustrator, then printed and cut into stencils, then spray painted on canvas. I also did an interview over at Gamervision.com about my Metroid piece.

Mallows @ SDCC

I was recently asked to do some customs on this new platform toy by Shocker Toys called Mallows. These 2 designs will be on display at the Shocker Toys booth (#3849) @ San Diego Comic Con, and at an after party hosted by Shocker. The figure is made from plastic, not vinyl, but has 10 points of articulation. It's pretty cool, hope to see some good things coming from it. The zombie looking one is called "Hipster Holocaust," and was mainly done in spray paint, with some detail drown in w/ markers. The tattooed one is named "Just Say No," and all the details were drawn in w/ markers. I wanted to texture on him to resemble old flash sheets at a tattoo shop.
I also designed/illustrated this logo to be used on a custom toy set for October Toys only available at SDCC. This will be on the chase figure, and the button set. You can pick up your Evil Gwin @ the October Toys booth (#4838).

interview on Vinyl-Toys.com

I recently did an interview about my custom toys for Vinyl-Toys.com, which you can check out by clicking the link. I was quite honored since I've only been customizing toys for a short period of time, massive thanks for the encouragement.

Golden Age art show pieces

A little behind on this but, here's my submissions for the Golden Age show. I was actually working on another piece, and had an idea to do a quick Felix piece. It turned out WAY better than the piece I was working much longer on. With Joe's encouragement, I did another piece in the same style for Chilly Willy. They're on 8"x10" canvas boards, and have custom painted frames.
The opening part was a success, and we have another show coming at the same place on Aug 7 entitled "8-Bit & Beyond" (a video game themed show).

Chewbacck Obama and some Munnys

Here's a bunch of stuff I've done over the past few weeks:This was a dumb idea I had, more so just the name Chewbacck Obama, popped in my head for some reason. In order to get it out of my brain I drew this up and stenciled it on a 8"x10" canvas board.

Here's a Munny I made as a gift to my tattoo artist who's been hooking me up w/ some sweet free tattoos over the past few months. I wanted it to look like an old timey strong man w/a sweet mustache (made of craft foam). I gave him traditional styled tattoos which I drew on with Sharpies. Here's what he looks like from all angles.

This is a Mini Munny body which I attached a TV accessory from a regular sized Munny. The basic concept is "TV rots your brain." The Munny body was pink, and I masked out a brain pattern and then sprayed the whole thing red. The TV screen I painted w/ a textured gray to look like static.

This is a flyer for a show my new band BLOODTYPE is playing. If anybody's gonna be in the area and wants to see me sing in a band, this would be your chance.

Ernest Ripper for ASOP 80's show

Here's my piece for the Autumn Society of Philadelphia's 80's pop culture themed show. It was a tough choice on what to do since so many awesome things came from the 80's. I ultimately decided to do an homage to Ernest P. Worrell in the style of the classic 80's Powell Peralta "Bones Ripper." All the color layers were cut out as stencils and spray painted on canvas. I did the background separately, then did the rest over it. The actual piece is a lot bigger and the colors are a lot brighter, I did the best I could w/ a photo of it.
The show will open on June 5th at Brave New World Comics in philadelphia, PA; and run until the end of the month. RIP Jim Varney
Here are all the stencil layers (if you click on it, you can see it better). The background was just sprayed blue, then the Ernest pattern repeated over it many times. Thanks!

Darth Vader and Bax Bear

This will be the first of an ongoing thing where I mirror post my art from the Autumn Society blog.
This is my Darth Vader piece for the 100 Ways to the Dark Side book project, it's based on a Virgin Mary of Guadalupe tattoo design. I tried some different techniques to get it a softer tattoo look to it.Here is my piece for the Bax Bear custom show @ the Artist's Eye in Smithville, NJ. It's supposed to be a Mexican luchador character of a bear that was shaved to wrestle against humans with some sweet tattoos. The snake on his back is the same snake I have tattooed on my arm, and referenced my old band, Snakebite. The gallery is also letting each artist display a work of art pertaining to your bear, so I drew up this using their template character.As a bonus to my blog readers, you get to see my rejected piece for the Vader project. It was based on the idea that Darth Vader looks like a giant black penis anyway...
EDIT- my Bax Bear just got 3rd place in the Delicious Drips custom contest

A New Direction

So I haven't made any posts in almost a month. I'd like to say I've been too busy, but more just unmotivated. My portfolio website is still a large undertaking, and isn't really as far along as I'd like. I've been trying to not spend as much time in front of a computer all day. Either way, I was thinking of expanding the coverage of my blog to other things I'm interested in such as art and toys ("urban" designer vinyl more specifically). So to kick things off here's art / toys / hardcore stuff that relates to me.

I currently have a painting hanging at Brave New World Comics in Philadelphia as part of the "Joker's Wild" show that the Autumn Society put together. The Autumn Society of Philadelphia is a collective and blog site (click to view my posts), and this was our first show. I'm working on a piece for our next show entitled "Heart/Earth," which will open next month at Mugshots Coffee. I've been doing a lot of custom toys lately as well. There is a show of Bax Bear customs coming up at The Artist's Eye in Smithville, NJ next month which I will be submitting my piece. I'm also working on a custom Gwin for the October Toys forum's Gwin trade. Here's a quick custom I did recently. It started out as a Koolby & Friends panda character, which I made much cooler by turning him into Jason Voorhees:


As for my bands, Wormeaters have a 7" that came out a few months ago. We have the next one written, and will be recording soon. It will be on Inkblot Records and will have PJ singing, who if you've seen us live over the past year has been singing for us. We'll be doing a weekend tour w/ Devour in May. SPG have a 7" that should be out literally any day now. I did the design and layout of that record, which will be available from American Waste Records. I also recently did the design/layout on the I Hate This 7" re-press entitled "Trimming the Fat," though I am no longer playing bass for them. I also started a new band recently w/ some friends in which I sing. Tentatively called Bloodtype, but all the members are straight edge and it kinda sounds like early New York Hardcore: Abused, Antidote, Urban Waste mixed w/ the early Rev type stuff. The Poison Planet 7" and comp tracks that I played on are out as well. I went out to Chicago last month for the record release show, which was honestly one of the most fun shows I've been at in a while.

For those that just check here to see record reviews, don't worry that will still be done, but as I'm on somewhat of a budget, they won't be as frequent. I've got a sizable stack building, and I'll be doing one soon.

You can also follow me on Twitter, though for the life of me I wouldn't know why.